Every Day Adventures in the TARDIS
by hythros
Summary: This is a selection of several shorts about the Doctor and Roses everyday life in the TARDIS. Filling in all the bits and pieces in between adventures. Intended as one series, every single short can be read on its own without any particular order, but this is now published in its original intended chronology. 10th Doctor/Rose, Humour, Romance, Drama, Angst
1. Still A Better Love Story than Twilight

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own Doctor Who or any of the mentioned characters. I might do one day though, just you watch me!**

 **Oh and I guess I don't own Twilight either. But you can keep that if you want. As I am at this, nothing against Twilight as a piece of work, this is just for the context of plot and I do respect every persons personal opinion as you should respect Roses. With that being said, enjoy!**

* * *

 _I dedicate this story to my first ever follower. You followed me before I had even published a story!_  
 _I am very sorry you probably won't enjoy this one very much, I promise you one day I'll write a proper story just for you._

 _River, you always challenge me to come up with the best, probably very weird and yet most extraordinary stories. I am very glad I met you, thank you for bearing with me._

* * *

Still a Better Love Story than 'Twilight'

"Rose!"

Rose moaned and shifted her head back into the depths of her fluffy rose-pattered pillow. She didn't want to get up, it was way too early.

Strained she tried to cling to her dreams, amazing dreams, about endless adventures and time travel with this incredible man, a man with two hearts who always seemed so eager to run; run to discover the wonders of the universe, but yet still paused long enough to show her, the plain little shop girl from the Powell Estate, Earth, the wonders of time and space is his magical blue wooden box.

"Rooose!" the voice called again, this time becoming a little more livid.

Rose sighed deeply as she finally lifted her head; eyes still closed she tried to hold onto her dreams just a tiny moment longer, still not entirely ready to face her reality yet.

But just this moment a small raging sound came from afar and bounced through the corridors in distance to her room. Rose recoiled as she finally opened her eyes.

She couldn't fight away her reality forever. She was sure her job or her Mum or Mickey or something else was out there waiting for her. And it sounded which ever it was outside waiting, was becoming angrier with every second she stayed muffled up in bed.

Drowsy Rose let her hands fly over her dishevelled golden hair, as she suddenly blinked in surprise of the slightly dimmed, very messed up room surrounding her.

* * *

Oh right.

She was in the TARDIS. Of course she was in the TARDIS, how could she even forget that? She had been travelling with the Doctor for more than a year now.

She let her eyes wander above the mess around the familiar room. It was a really nice room. She loved it the instance she saw it on her very first encounter with the magical bigger-on-the-inside space ship.

A huge wardrobe was built into almost one entire side of the rather small but yet very comfortable chopped room, which was stuffed with all cloths anybody could possibly just ever imagine.

And anything anybody could possibly ever imagine if Rose was to be completely honest. The TARDIS never left out on an opportunity to astonish her.

A little desk covered the other side of the room, loaded with all the little things Rose picked up from her adventures with the Doctor.

She couldn't even start to name half the knick-knacks pilling all over another, covering most space of the large table top, but she knew at least most of their functions.

The Doctor loved spotting those little trinkets. He always handed them to her with his huge boyish grin, explaining all their amazing gimmicks with a sparkling gleam in his eye, which usually left Rose with her moth hung open about the mere wonders the universe provided.

Like this they had found her an instant hair dryer from a gigantic, very chaotic market place on this amazing planet with big blue headed but yet quite friendly inhabitants, which managed to dry even Roses long messy hair in nanoseconds; had managed to snatch an amazing little cube, which projected an accurate true to scale model of the entire universe by pressing the right button hidden on the backside of one of its faces, and had gotten a hold onto a small, translucent bulb containing a white fog inside, which turned into a deep crimson colour if someone had forgotten to fulfil an before indicated task. Yes, an actual Remembrall!

The Doctor had squeaked in surprise, jumping and grinning like a little boy when he spotted the trinket in an antiquarian bookshop on a rather dull and dusty planet not too far from Earth, handing the small inconspicuous ball to Rose with the biggest grin plastered on his face.

Now the little glassy ball was sitting enthroned on top of a neat pile of various other innumerable and pretty incredible items, objects and trinkets.

But apart from that Rose room was quite empty. Well, despite all the piles of clothing lying all crossed over the floor and furniture.

Rose had never been the tidiest person and since she spent most of her days running, she just didn't feel the energy left to care about well-organising her clothes after yet another day of extraordinary adventures spent alongside the Doctor.

Usually she just left whatever she was wearing drop down to the floor and threw herself on her bed just seconds before she doze off to sleep.

* * *

Suddenly, a small humming sound bounced off the walls of her room, leaving the lights flicker just an instant, as fierce steps echoed off the corridor leading to her room.

An angry knock at her door left Rose boggle in surprise.

"Rose? Rose, get out of there!"

Rose held her breath as the knocking continued.

"Wake up! I need to talk to you!" The voice called, holding more vigour to it now, but Rose didn't answer his calls and eventually the vast striving steps ran off again.

She let out a huge breath.

Well, the Doctor did sound undeniably angry.

Slowly she dragged herself out of bed, grabbing a pair of fresh socks and pulling them over, before she gave her room one last glance, gathering herself to leave the safety it provided and face the oncoming storm apparently waiting already rather impatiently outside in the control room.

* * *

Rose worried her lip as her small steps sounded of the large corridors. Nervously she ran her fingers through her hair, as she finally found his tall pinstriped figure leaning with crossed arms against the TARDIS console.

He was angry. He was very angry.

She could tell it just by the way he bounced on his heels, flipping the TARDIS controls up and down in a pointless effort to blow off some steam.

Rose held her breath as she made her way up to his side.

What had she done now? She ran fiercely through her head, but she couldn't point anything she recently could have done to upset him.

She stiffened her shoulders, gathering herself, and took a bravely step right behind him.

"Mornin'" Her voice sounded a little squeakier than she intended it to be.

She held her breath as he turned over, his eyes gleaming and mouth twisted.

"Could you please explain to me, Rose, what in Rassilons sake this is?" he looked at her, his deep, chocolate brown eyes piercing right through her mind.

Rose blinked in surprise at the object he held right to her face.

* * *

It was a book.

With once, Rose let out a huge breath. So, that's what this was all about, her being all messy inside the TARDIS control room again.

She actually had to hear his lecture about not leaving any stuff lying around the console room every few weeks or something. Still, she never really bothered about sticking to his rules too much, usually he wasn't any more reliable on cleaning off all the little bits and pieces he constantly built out and into the TARDIS console from lying all spread around the floor himself.

Actually, his lecture time way decreased after his regeneration. Sometimes Rose had the feeling he actually seemed somewhat relieved he didn't feel the need to act as her perfect shining role model anymore, when he himself wasn't much tidier about this stuff than she was.

And she surely would have never expected an outburst like this.

Not from him anyway. His big nose and ear grumpy predecessor, maybe, but definitely not this all cheerful and bouncy pinstriped Doctor, always up, happy and chipper about anything in just the slightest way connected to Rose.

* * *

Rose shrugged.

"It looks like a book" she answered him all innocently.

He rolled his eyes back.

"Well, yes Rose, I can see that. But what is it doing in my TARDIS console?" he asked determined.

Rose looked at him. "Okay 'm sorry. Must have left it here some days back when I read it. I can't even remember I left it here" she said solemnly.

The Doctor pinched the back of his nose, looking down for a second in a poor effort to calm himself.

"And what, in Earth's name, would you be reading 'Twilight' for?" he asked, his voice bouncing from suppressed anger.

* * *

Rose blinked in disbelieve, looking at the cover of the book for the first time as he wiggled it in front of her face.

"'Twilight' Rose! I can't believe it. And here I thought I knew you! I really would have thought better of you, Rose Tyler. 'Twilight'? I mean, really, 'Twilight'? Anything's a better love story than that! Hamlet is a better love story than 'Twilight'! The autobiography of Ringo Star is a better love story than 'Twilight'! The 'Steps and downfall of the duke of New New Manhattan' is a better love story than 'Twilight'!

"Although, it does include some very insulting aspects and treatments of the Poosh within the deeds of the all mighty and bountiful human empire during the 54th century, but still a better love story than _Twilight_!" he raged, pacing up and down, as he forced his little rant onto Rose.

Rose bit her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud, as she watched him getting in fret about the little book.

Truth was, she actually wasn't very fond to read it anyway. Her friend Shareen had given it to her back when they stopped by for a visit to her Mum, telling her to definitively give it a try as apparently everyone around was just freaking out about it at the moment.

So, because she couldn't find a decent way to just say 'no' she took it with her.

* * *

Actually she found it rather bloated and definitely way over done.

Well, yes, it was quite easy to read and had some nice romance, but nothing really revolutionary new and to be honest, the characters seemed to act rather dull most of the time.

But she didn't intend to let him of the hook that easily.

So, Rose gave the Doctor a rather sheepish smile as she leaned away from him, casually running her fingers above the railings beside her.

"Well, actually I thought Edward was quite the handsome hero if you ask me" she said innocently as he interrupted his raving monologue. He paused a second, looking rather puzzled at her calm face.

"Really?"

His voice sounded somewhat caught off. "What makes you say that?" he asked in disbelieve.

Rose paused a little, staring off into the distance as if trying to remember a certain aspect of the book.

"Well, he's quite brave, isn't he? He's very smart, knows his way in literature and he's very reliable. Like, he's always there when Bella needs him, even though at first she thinks he might not. But he's always there protecting her when it comes to the point. Don't you think?"

She asked him in a teasing tone, a smirking grin on her lips as the tip of her tongue poked out at the corner of her mouth.

* * *

The Doctor frowned, looking a little taken aback. Rose secretly bit her inner cheek to stop herself from laughing as he knitted his brow, re-enacting her words. She could almost see his thoughts running wild around his head.

"But, oh come on, stone like sparkling in the sun vampires? Who would fall for that?" he asked in a spiky tone. "Who would want to cuddle up a stone? I mean, he's not even her species!"

Rose actually paused to think about that for a moment, a little startled by his words.

"Well, I suppose" she began and as she spoke she felt her words actually carried more truth to them than she might have intended. "I suppose those things don't really matter. She really loves him, so she doesn't care if he's actually her species or not. Love doesn't work like that. It's not logic. You just fall for the person, no matter if he might be made of stone or got two heads or I don't know" she trailed of, cutting her sentence before she could add anything further.

He made a disbelieving sound. "Oh come on, as if you would really fall in love with a two headed drivelling Slitheen!"

Rose shrugged. "Well, I suppose you wouldn't understand anyway. You're nothing like Edward."

And with that said, she turned over, heading back for her room, leaving him standing left alone in his complete daze. She could almost picture his bewildered face as he tried to put some sense to her words.

Rose laughed at the thought, shutting the door of her room with some force and letting herself once again drop onto her cosy mattress and her eyes fall shut.

He'll definitely think twice before waking her up so early next time.

* * *

It wasn't for a couple hours later, Rose actually started to get a little worried.

It was very unlikely for the Doctor to just drop a conversation like that. She half expected him to burst into her room, all crackling with anger and listing all the reason why exactly he, the last of the Time Lord, the oldest and most sovereign species in the universe, was of course in any way superior to any fictional made of stone vampire character. Sparkling in the sun or not.

And she would laugh at his offended pride and tell him it was just a joke, and that he was of course in any way superior to any fictional character.

And of course she would never tell him how much secretly she actually believed in that.

But apparently he didn't show up and as the hours passed Rose became a little restless. Was he mad at her?

She couldn't believe someone like him would really be offended by a little prank like that. But he did tend to get overly emotional when it came to certain subjects.

But then again, she couldn't believe him getting aggrieved even if she would fancy a fictional character over him, if she would fancy anyone over him, actually. What did he care?

Rose cast a glance at the little clock lying on her bedside table. Of course it was in a way pointless to own a clock in an out of time existing spaceship, but she felt better when she at least kept up the loose image of a routine day structure she was used to. So she kept her clock at Earth time, which gave her the feeling to at least keep up roughly with the time she had spent in the TARDIS.

* * *

She bit her lip. It had been four hours. Four hours without any sign of life from him.

This was so very not like him. The Doctor never stood still for too long. A few hours locked up in a certain place and he already got restless; restless and careless.

Rose sighed and got up. She had to find him. What if anything had happened while she was gone?

Maybe something had attacked them again? And he might be lying unconscious and probably hurt on the ground somewhere in the depths of the TARDIS.

But, she would have noticed that, wouldn't she?

* * *

But Rose anxiety just grew boundless as she entered the large control room, just to find it completely empty.

"Doctor?" she called out for him. "Doctor, are you all right? Doctor, where are you?"

Rose turned back to the narrow corridor leading on sheer endlessly through the heart of the ship. She started running before she actually knew what she was doing, still calling out for him in despair.

"Doctor? Doctor!"

But back came nothing.

Not one clue which might lead her to the Doctor. No open doors, no sounds. The TARDIS appeared completely abandoned.

Rose felt panic climbing up her spine. What if something happened and he left? But he wouldn't leave her here alone, would he?

But Rose knew the answer even if she didn't like it. Yes, yes, he would.

He had done so before.

* * *

She stopped, panting heavily she leant against one of the cold metal walls of the corridor.

What should she do?

It wasn't before that she realised the gentle humming of the spaceship around her.

Rose paused and looked up the crested ceiling as the lights started to flicker gently around her. She followed them surprised, as her gaze suddenly stopped at a merely leant door.

Rose held her breath, her legs stumbling forward, moving as if she was being pulled in by invisible string.

It was a plain wooden door she actually hadn't noticed before. She could feel her heart racing in her chest, but before she could do as much as touch the crude material, the door had already swung open on its own.

* * *

It was a library.

A really beautiful library. The ceiling was covered in deep blue colours, like the midnight sky lit up by sparkling starlight.

Shelves of books reached all the way up till the top, with wooden leaders leaning onto them to provide a way to reach the highest racks of the shelves. Rose mouth hung open as she leant her head back just to capture the whole splendour of the place.

As suddenly a small sound caught her attention. It sounded like somebody breathing.

* * *

Rose turned her head as she spotted a comfortable looking suite placed pretty picturesque around an open fireplace.

Cautious she walked up to it, careful not to make any sounds.

It was a rather beautiful spot Rose noticed as she walked up to the little sectional. The furnishings looked cosy and very much inviting to cuddle into the soft, fluffy cushions, probably with a steaming mug of tea in hand to get lost in an engrossing book.

She stopped right in front of one of the light brown armchairs, as the light sound caught her attention again.

Rose turned over just to spot the Doctor lying stretched out on one of the huge settees, snoring.

* * *

Carefully Rose walked up to him, intently trying not to disturb the peaceful picture.

She hadn't actually seen the Doctor sleep before. Well, at least not apart from her very first encounter with this new face on Christmas day, and you really couldn't count that, could you?

It was rather strange to see him so relaxed. He looked just like any ordinary bloke, falling asleep whilst reading on the sofa, snoring faintly with his mouth open.

Rose smiled.

It wasn't before that she noticed the book lying open with its backside cover up on his lap.

Rose grinned as she picked the familiar book out of his limp hands.

He must have tried reading it. Reading it for her, she realised. Reading it to understand why she was so fond off the book.

She laughed. She really had to explain to him later.

But for now she just sat herself beside him, her feet placed gently besides his, her head on the soft fabric of the sofa, facing his peaceful relaxed face, suddenly feeling very tired as the stress and anxiety slowly dropped off her.

She savoured herself in the sort of familiar smell of the soft settee beneath the deep blue ceiling. The soft, soothing sound of his steady breathing lulling her in.

Rose closed her eyes, her head sinking into the cosy bolster, slowly drifting off into sleep.

With a small 'thud' the already forgotten exemplar of Twilight landed on the ground beside them.


	2. Inside a Murky Haze

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own Doctor Who or any of the mentioned characters. Although I actually would quite like to. Who does own the Doctor though? I mean I bet I could try and wangle Rose of Russell T. Davies, but the Doctor? I mean, he is sort of time less and the people who invented the original character are long dead, so ... Although, as I'm thinking about this, I think I'd rather have Jackie Tyler to be honest.**

 **What? Don't call me mad! Come on, Jackie is brilliant! Who wouldn't want a frantic forty-ish old fuzzing around the Estate and scaring of the neighbour kids? ... No? ... All right, just me then.**

* * *

 _I dedicate this story to XxMichelleMikaelsonxX, who was the first follower to my story! And LoricVampire Hybrid who wrote my first ever comment! Thank you guys, you are amazing!_

* * *

Inside a Murky Haze

Rose suppressed a deep yawn. The Doctor shot her a funny look but didn't say anything, his eyes smirking in mischief.

"What?" she asked him, her eyebrows raised high above her eyes.

He didn't answer but instead shoved her a wide grin and gripped her hand, entwining his long, coolly finger with hers.

"What is it?" she asked him again, enjoying the comfort of his light touch. His hand felt so perfect in hers, as if it had always belong there and she just hadn't realised a part of herself missing before.

"No idea what you're talking about" he told her, his voice bouncing in joy. Rose eyebrows shot even higher.

"Oh no, no Doctor. You are up to something. I can see it all written over that big mouth of yours" she stressed, slightly pulling at their joined hands.

* * *

The pair of them had just spent a lovely afternoon on a planet called Deltrex 7, exploring a small market place which the Doctor had exclaimed as the best market in the whole wide of the Delta galaxy to shop for gear.

Of course, instead of finding anything they had been searching for, they instead ended up in a huge fight between two clans of the native species Methatix, which appeared in form of slightly green tainted humans, and Ryx, who looked like huge pixies with big fluffy wings on their backs.

Fortunately, the Doctor and Rose could manage to set a peace offer to the ongoing war as the Doctor suddenly pulled a huge ever growing banana tree out of his trans-dimensional bigger on the inside pockets, which could end the famine in their wastelands.

Rose hadn't even started to ask where he might have that tree from or what it had been doing inside his pockets.

Now they were just taking their stroll back to the TARDIS after enjoying a huge banquet all sorted with various banana flavoured dished.

Rose was sure she didn't want to see even one banana anymore for at least the next couple of weeks, whilst the Doctor seemed to have enjoyed himself tremendously.

Rose would never understand that weird banana fascination of his.

* * *

The Doctor let go of Rose hand and pulled out his key to hold the door open for her to enter. The TARDIS greeted them with a delighted hum as Rose entered the large console room. She looked back at the Doctor, who jogged up the long ramp behind her.

"So, where to next?" she asked him with a radiant grin.

"Uhm" The Doctor had stopped by the console, apparently very interested with some of the switches. He avoided her gaze. "I thought maybe we could call it a break for the day? It was a pretty exhausting trip after all" he told her, pulling at his ear.

Rose shot him a suspicious look. "Well, isn't it always with us?" she laughed. He caught her glance, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Anyhow, you seemed a bit tired, I could do some work on the servo-camouflaging system, so…" he let the sentence drop, burrowing his hands in his long coat pockets, rocking slightly on his heels.

Rose eyed his all jolly attitude warily. "Camouflaging system? Since when does the TARDIS need camouflage?" she asked him, her eyebrow croaked.

He snorted. "Oh please, Rose! Of course the TARDIS has a camouflaging system! Do you think she has an actual pool in the middle of the library?" He laughed.

"Ehm yes? Hold on, wait …" She looked up at his bright smiling face in shock. "So she doesn't? There is no real pool in the library? What was I doing sitting in there in nothing but my bikini the other day?" she asked him horrified, but instead of an answer he just pushed her gently in the rough direction of her room.

"Have a good night, Rose! See you tomorrow!" he exclaimed chipper, a huge goofy smile plastered on his face.

Rose shot him an angry glare, but instead of noticing he just waved her off with his big teeth-y smile and sprinted off to the other side of the room.

* * *

Rose shook her head. Oh this smelled so false. He was definitely up to something. And coming from the Doctor, this meant trouble for sure. Bad trouble.

She sighed. Oh well, she was not Rose Tyler, defender of the Earth and companion of the all-time energetic and unpredictable Doctor if she were to be put off by a bit of trouble.

Laughing slightly she shook her head again, as she slowly walked off to her room.

She had to admit, she did feel a bit knackered after yet another day of marvellous adventure which had turned, as so often with the Doctor, into an awful lot of running. So Rose decided to take her chance and enjoy a lovely hot bath in the private en-suite to her room.

Rose could practically feel her muscle relax as she drifted in the lightly steaming water.

It wasn't long after that she fell dead asleep, even too tired and relaxed to change out of her pink and fluffy morning gown, just merely able to drag herself over to her welcoming waiting mattress.

* * *

The next morning Rose stretched her stiff arms as she slowly toddled up to the TARDIS galley. It had been a surprisingly comfortable night.

Apparently the Doctor was right, she desperately needed a bit of a good night sleep. Feeling all rested and relaxed, she now thought herself ready to face any new mischief the Doctor might be up to.

And it definitely sounded like he was already up to something. Rose could hear little blows and soft explosions echoing through the TARDIS corridors all morning.

Or evening. Or whatever time it might be in the miraculous time ship. It was quite hard to catch up with time in the TARDIS.

Days morphed into weeks and weeks turned out to become months and soon Rose couldn't recall anymore how much time she had actually spent alongside the Doctor.

* * *

Suddenly, a harsh strike blew through the TARDIS, sending small vibrations and a low clatter running over the floor. Rose felt a wave of heebie-jeebies raise over her arms.

This definitely did not sound good.

She shook her head, trying to shake off the unpleasant feeling, before running off in the vague direction of the TARDIS kitchen.

"Doctor?" she called out, as she reached the entrance door, just to find it locked.

Rose stopped in surprise, rattling at the sneck. "Doctor? Doctor are you all right?" she called out through the thin wooden frame. A faint wave of smoke greeted her.

Rose felt her heart drop. Now, this definitely meant trouble. "Doctor?" she called again, rocking the handle in alarm.

* * *

"It's all right, Rose! Just go away!" his soft voice answered her in response, sounding like it came from a far distance.

Rose stopped in surprise. "Doctor? Are you in there? What's wrong?" she wanted to know, knocking fiercely at the door.

"Nothing. Everything's fine! Molto Bene! Just, just … move back a bit" he instructed her. Rose felt fear crawling up her spine.

She knocked at the door again. "Doctor, just tell me what's wrong. I can help you!"

"Nothing is wrong" he called back. "Look Rose, why don't you enjoy your time in your room? Go ahead and read a book! Weren't you complaining you didn't have enough time to catch up on all your magazines with me shooing you around all day?" he laughed softly.

Rose felt her heart sink. "You want me to leave you?" she recalled dull.

He was in clear danger, possible mortal danger, and he still had so little trust in her that he'd rather send her off? Rose could feel her own hand sink slack against the sleek door frame.

She thought they had finally managed to pass this. She thought with his new face and his bright smile, he finally saw a true companion in her. Someone he could trust implicitly no matter what, and not the little girl he gathered up somewhere back on Earth. The little shop-girl from the Powell Estate whose job he'd blown up and who now had nowhere else to go then to run off with the first stranger who'd take her with him.

"Rose…" his voice was soft and suddenly sounded much closer. Very close. Rose felt her heart jump.

"It's all right, really. I just need to… finish something here, okay?" he told her softly through the thin wood of the door. "I'll be back in a tick, promise, and we're off to anywhere you like. Your pick" he added quickly.

Rose felt a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "And you are really fine?" she asked. She needed to know. He laughed. "Of course I am! I'm always all right!"

Rose slowly shock her head at this, but obviously he couldn't see her roll her eyes on him.

"Trust me, Rose" he said instead and Rose worried her lip. She couldn't deny him this. She trusted him with all her heart. With all the entity of the universe! Who was she to doubt him now? He surely knew what he was doing.

Rose sighed. "All right. But you just call me if you need my help, yeah?" she asked insistent.

He laughed again. "Course I will!" And with that he moved away again. Rose couldn't hear his soft footsteps through the closed door, but she could feel the loss of his presence as if time itself had just shifted a bit.

She let her head drop against the sealed door. Well, no use arguing with him. She was better off doing as she was told. With a deep sigh she pushed herself of the wall and slowly strolled off in the opposite direction of the closed room, with no particular goal at hand.

* * *

Rose let her chin drop to her hands as she observed the slowly moving column of the TARDIS console in despair. The rhythmic motion covered in dim greenish light had something rather hypnotic and soon Rose found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. It had been hours.

Hours and still no sign of the Doctor.

Oh of course she had heard him. She had heard him many times, actually. He'd call out from the kitchen from time to time, swearing angrily in a language Rose couldn't put and the TARDIS vehemently refused to translate.

It probably was for the better, judging on his growling tone and raging voice.

Rose had rushed to the closed wooden door every time she heard his voice shout out. Had dropped whatever she might be doing to distract her worried mind, to rush over to him, and find the door locked.

He refused to answer her calls since he sent her off the first time and no matter how persistent Rose knocked, the door stayed closed.

Instead the smoke coming off the small cracks of the doorframe had even increased and an unpleasant smell soon started to fill the corridors surrounding the galley.

The sight alone had dug a big hole of worry into Rose stomach.

* * *

What if he was hurt? Rose tried to recall their past adventures, but she wouldn't say he seemed hurt. Sure, he never hesitated to throw himself between any victim and their potential aggressor in the blink of an eye, but no matter how hard the strike, he always seemed to come of unharmed.

Just bouncy as always, with his huge vibrant smile, which kept Rose from worrying about him too much.

But maybe he had faked his smile one time too many. Maybe the last strike was just too hard, the last blow too much to take in. What if he was sick?

Oh, this smelled so much like him! Being seriously hurt but not telling her because of his pompous Time Lord pride. Just like the last time.

But what if he was really hurt? So hurt, he was eventually dying? Dying, while Rose was left standing locked outside a stupid wooden door.

Rose was pretty sure she couldn't bear him change his face again. Sure, he was the same man and no matter what, she would always stay by his side. But he'd just burnt his last face and he surely couldn't change like that forever, could he?

Rose was quite sure that there must be a stint to how many faces even a Time Lord could wear and his reckless attitude worried her. Besides, she had just lost the old face. The grumpy face, with his big nose and ears to get this jolly, young and all energetic Doctor.

She had just gotten used to him, she wasn't sure she could bear losing him again right now.

Rose whimpered a little, letting her head drop with a soft thud against the console. Oh she hated this. She hated that he always shut her out.

She wanted to stand by his side, to help him, and take some of the guilt of his shoulders. He might be the last of his kind, the last Time Lord left in existence, but this didn't mean he had to carry the burden of the entire universe alone.

She was his hand to hold, his plus one. Rose was more than happy to lend her hand, he just needed to realise he could take it.

* * *

Suddenly a heavy strike shook the TARDIS again, leaving the console room joggle in a slight tremor. A small shocked shout escaped her lips, as Rose tried to cling on to the TARDIS console to prevent herself from crashing into the railings.

The whole place seemed to rock; wild red lights flashed around the ceiling and a sick, deafening sound echoed through the entire room. Rose screamed out in surprise, as the TARDIS jerked her violently through the room, almost as if in an intent to shake her off.

Suddenly Rose had the strange picture of scared animal, desperately trying to shake off the aggressors trying to hurt her. Not like the TARDIS was an animals, obviously.

Eventually Rose mind kicked back in. Trying to clear some strains of hair off her face, she stiffened her grip on the console, steadying herself upright.

With a little stumble she finally managed to steady her grip and secure her footing. She shoot the still violently shaking console a worried glance.

"What is it old girl? What's wrong?" she tried calling above the angry clashing cloister bell. As an answer the TARDIS just shook desperately, flashing the lights above Rose head in an angry red.

Rose looked a little baffled. If she couldn't tell it any better the TARDIS looked … mad. Very mad. Fuming quite literally and by the still rapidly flashing lights in rough direction of the corridor leading towards the galley, Rose had a feeling the TARDIS wasn't angry with her.

Rose patted the console comfortingly. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this" she told the ancient ship soothingly. It helped a bit, the wild rocking decreased and the TARDIS uttered a soft, ratty purr.

Rose laughed at the behaviour of the sentient ship.

* * *

Suddenly yet another loud, heavy explosion sounded off the far end of the corridor leaving the TARDIS jerk again in her despair. Rose looked down the corridor in shock. The TARDIS emitted a vibrant quiver and before Rose even knew what she was doing, she was already running off in the direction of the vibrant cause.

"Doctor?" she called out desperately, as she reached the by now heavily fogged corridor. Rose couldn't even see her hand stretched out in front of her.

Thick clouds of smokes emitted from the still firmly locked door of the TARDIS kitchen, the exact spot the Doctor was still locked in. Rose felt panic rising up her spine. Without even thinking about it, her body started acting on its own accord.

She ran up to the door with a valiant kick; the thin wooden plank finally bursting open in front of her.

Rose coughed as even more thick clouds of smoke flushed to her face and eyes. She tried protecting her nose, but it did sparse profit. Instead Rose tried to hold her breath to prevent herself from breathing in too much of the hazardous toxic clouds.

"Doctor?" she called out again, taking a brave step into the room.

* * *

Inside the smoke seemed to become even thicker, even though Rose wouldn't have believed that even possible. Obviously she was approaching the source.

Rose felt her stomach twist in anxiety. If this was just the result, what had happened to the Doctor?

Desperately she tried making out any figures in the dark clouds, but it was just impossible to spot anything in the murky room.

Rose eyes flashed over the shaggy surfaces, desperately searching for a familiar lean tall figure. Or just anything.

Eventually her feet stumbled over something soft.

Rose tried to gather her footing, as she quickly bent over the tall figure lying on the floor. "Doctor?" she called out breathlessly, trying to search for his face. But she couldn't make out any detail in the thick clouds and her fingers groped blind above the rough floor.

The figure had disappeared.

* * *

Rose blinked a little startled, letting her fingers trace the spot where something or probably even someone had laid just moments ago. Gone.

Rose felt fear slowly crawling up her neck. What if the Doctor hadn't been alone in here after all?

What if this whole drama had indeed been to protect her? What if something had forced its way into the TARDIS? Something so dangerous and devilish even the TARDIS couldn't protect them any longer?

What if this whole time the Doctor was right? What if he had tried to protect her from all this?

Rose heart stopped as realisation hit her hard from behind; she had just more than freely run into a trap. And moreover, just exposed herself completely unguarded by giving up her position like this.

Rose jumped to her feet as she heard the low growl coming off the shadows directly behind her.

* * *

She wanted to scream, but her voice seemed trapped inside her throat. All she could do was step back into the sheer endless dark clouds in hope to escape the monster lurking hidden within them.

Desperately Rose tried to search her way out, tried to spot the door in the heavy haze, but it was impossible. The smoke had emitted the entire room, making it impossible to tell any figure in the murky fog.

The growl sounded off right behind Roses back again, this time appearing even closer. Rose closed her eyes.

Oh Doctor. She just hoped he had managed to escape somehow. What would he say?

Would he be disappointed with her? Disappointed that she disobeyed his orders? Disappointed she'd just die on him like that? He had died for her once, would he feel sorry he had wasted one of his lives like this? That she would die so soon after he had sacrificed his life for hers?

Rose barely laughed at the irony, as she felt a soft breath tickling at the back of her neck. That was it.

She had nowhere else to go. No escape route. Rose held her breath.

* * *

Suddenly, something cool and rather soft started scuttling down her upper arm and Rose screamed in surprise, as a grip closed firmly around her palm.

Rose high pitched shriek echoed of the invisible walls, but the grip around her hand strengthened as long soft fingers interlaced with hers.

Very familiar and compared to her heated touch slightly cool fingers. Rose blinked.

"Rose?" a terribly familiar voice croaked out, coughing vaguely above her, hidden in the opaque clouds.

Rose let out a shaky laugh as she threw her arms through the hazy fog, burying her face in the familiar soft fabric of his shirt. Oh, she knew that voice, how hoarse or even cawing it may sound.

"Oh god you're all right" she mumbled softly, and tightened her grip around his lanky figure. The Doctor coughed lightly as his response.

"Rose? What's wrong? What happened? Where do these clouds come from? Rassilon, I can't spot a thing." Rose felt him shift under her grip in an attempt to make out something in the hazy smoke, but she just got him back, she was far from letting him go wandering off again.

As he felt her desperate clinging the Doctor stopped trying to move around. Soft, feathery fingers traced down her hair and neck, before settling on her shoulders.

"Are you all right?" he called softly, his voice a little shaken under his sudden worry.

* * *

Rose laughed quietly, finally loosening her grip. She cleared a strain of hair of her face, trying to look up at him to spot his troubled expression in the murk.

"You're seriously asking if I'm all right? You caused all this! Doctor, what happened? The TARDIS seemed distressed, I just heard this huge explosion and suddenly the whole place is covered in smoke!"

Rose felt him stiffen as suddenly his brain kicked back in. "Oh no!" he screamed desperate and turned around in a flash, abruptly running off into the haze. "No, no, no, no, no, no!"

"Doctor?" Rose tried calling after him, but she quickly lost his figure in the thick smoke. Rose sighed, as suddenly a small, mechanical click echoed right next to her and a soft hoovering sound sloshed through the room.

* * *

With once, the thick smoke surrounding them had cleared off in seconds, leaving Rose right in the centre of the TARDIS galley and a very distressed Doctor desperately hovering around a still lightly fuming stove at the other side of the room.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked, as she walked up to the Doctor. Now that she could finally see him properly in the now again bright yellowish light of the kitchen, she could tell he looked rather ragged.

He had taken off his suit jacket, leaving his sleeves rolled up, showing off his bare arms. His tie was hanging loosely around his neck. His hair was a mess, if Rose could tell even more so then usually.

And it seemed he was besmeared with thick soot and covered in some strange white powder which, fitting to his current appalled expression, left him appear even madder than usual.

Rose stopped by his side, peaking a little over his shoulder as the Doctor dug his hands in his wild hair. "Oh no, no, no, no, no" he called out again. Rose laughed a little at his manic expression.

* * *

"Are you all right? You seem a bit stressed." His glare snapped down on her, as if he now for the first time realised her standing there.

He grabbed her shoulders. "Oh no Rose! You are not supposed to see this!" he whined, now desperately trying to shove her out of the room.

Rose blinked. "What? Why?" she asked puzzled. "What did you do?!"

The Doctor didn't answer her, but instead fought a hopeless battle of trying to hide the still quietly fuming oven from her sight.

Rose frowned and escaped out of his firm grip. With crossed arms she turned over to pin him down with a scolding glare. "Now, you explain. Doctor, what is this all about?" she demanded to know.

The Doctor let his head drop as he slightly slumped down in front of her. "I'm sorry Rose, this was meant to be a surprise" he conceded reluctantly, tiredly rubbing his eyes.

Rose eyebrows shot up. "A surprise?" she repeated taken aback. "A surprise for whom?"

The Doctor tried to avoid her gaze. "For … you" he muffled quietly, rubbing his neck.

* * *

Rose cocked her head. "And how would it be a surprise for me that you blow up the TARDIS galley? I mean, I know you two head a disagreement about the amount of banana she is willing to store in her box room but this …" Rose stopped to stretch out her arms in an attempt to encompass the whole mess of the room.

It wasn't just the smoke that had left a tint greyish cover on the furnishing, the whole place was a mess. The entire room was jammed with various sticky bowls, dripping spoons and diverse other kitchen supplies lying all sprawled over the counter and floor.

The Doctor just let his arm drop again and reluctantly walked over to the still smoking oven, pulling the door open.

Surprised Rose spotted a very, very black looking … cake? Stunned she looked up at the Doctor.

"You were trying to bake a cake?" she concluded dumbfounded. The Doctor looked up at her sheepishly, his hands dug deep into his pockets he softly rocked on the heels of his scruffy trainers.

"Happy Birthday, Rose."


	3. Soaking Wet

**Disclaimer:** **I still don't own Doctor Who or any of the mentioned characters. But the BBC actually sent me two packages today, so cross your fingers for me!**

* * *

 _I dedicate this chapter to all my faithful followers! I still can't quite believe that there's people out there actually reading my stories. But honestly guys, feel free to leave a comment! I don't bite! Weeeeeelll, okay I might, but I'll try to keep in check. But I can definitely promise I respond to every single one of you!_

 _... Okay, as long as there isn't suddenly hundred people spamming my inbox ... why do I have a feeling I just shouldn't have said that? ..._

* * *

Soaking wet

Rose shook her head, her long blond hair dancing wild around her face. Her clothes were soaking wet from the sudden rain, which had caught them completely offhanded. She shivered.

"You said it'll be like trees covered in diamonds. You didn't mention we'd actually have to drown first to see these amazingly sparkling trees you were all mumbling about" she called at the dripping Doctor, who closed the TARDIS door behind them.

He was actually much worse drenched than she was for leading the way through the unforgiving storm, which had surprised them out of nowhere.

The Doctor shook his body like a huge dog, before he jogged up to the TARDIS console beside her.

She had to admit, she was kind of impressed how he had actually managed to find their way securely back to the ship throughout the storm.

It was like hell out there, Rose couldn't even see her hand stretched out in front of her through the unforgiving flogging rain. All that kept her going was his steady grip around her wrist, which had led her with assuring steps to their invisible goal.

* * *

He grinned at her, his manic grin, which appeared even madder with his hair sticking wet against his forehead. He jumped a little as he pushed some buttons on the TARDIS console, so fast Rose couldn't even start to make sense to them, which brought them smoothly back into the time vortex.

"Oh come on Rose! We had an amazing view at the Gobivillian Theresborth forest, all the diamond leafs sparkling in the sun? You loved it!" he called out, flipping the last big lever in a sweeping gesture before turning over to face her.

"And what would be an adventure without some inauspicious circumstances? Boring, that's it! It wouldn't even be an adventure anymore if you consider the definition of adventure. Although, the Pocoribilians on the planet Zogartroff Z more thought of an adventure as a picnic trip. Can you image? All people packed with backpacks and outdoor wardrobe for a mere picnic trip! Ha!"

He laughed out loud, while Rose rolled her eyes at him and shook her head in disbelieve.

"Well, I don't care if the Pocribilans of the planet Zorgartroff Z change into chemical warfare gear for house work, I'd still prefer not to drown while trying to eat my all so amazing tasting alien sandwich, which I, and I quote: 'Under any possible or impossible circumstances really had to try out, because it is the best sandwich in the whole wide universe.'

"Well, thank you for that, now I am actually soggy and feeling sick for still having that dreadful taste on my tongue." She shivered a little as she remembered the awful taste of the sickly green looking alien sandwich.

"I told you I am sorry for that. Who could have known you'd get sick from eating Gobivillian cucumbers?" he told her honestly.

* * *

Rose looked up at him for a moment.

"Well, okay fine, I forgive you for that, but this doesn't change the fact that I am still soaking wet." She put her long golden hair together and wrung them just in front of his scruffy white trainers to make her point, a flush of water sloshed onto the TARDIS floor between them.

The Doctor jumped back from the splashing water, looking a little annoyed, but didn't dive further into the mood.

Instead he headed over to her side and playfully hit her shoulder with his own. His hands as so often buried deep into his still sodden wet pockets.

"A little rain never killed anybody. Besides it was a fun trip, wasn't it?"

She sighed as his deep brown eyes beamed down on her, this time actually carrying a little worry inside for maybe really annoying her with his impossible moods for the most dangerous and, like he used to exclaim, 'most exciting planets'.

Rose bit her lip; she hated that look on his face. It didn't fit this cheerful man in front of her and besides, she hated that he actually made himself feel miserable for giving her the best times of her life. Well, from time to time really wet times, but still considering, the best she'd ever had.

She gave him her best grin, sticking her tongue out a little between her teeth. His face almost immediately lit up as he saw her grin.

"But still, I'd prefer a nice, proper and most of all _dry_ planet for our next 'adventure' as you like to call it. Understood?" She pointed a finger at him.

"Yes ma'am, always trying my best to please the mistress." He teased grinning down on her.

* * *

Rose hit his arm.

"Ouch! Well, fine. I'm sorry. I really am. Who could have known it is monsoon season in Gobivillian in autumn?"

Rose shook her head again and left him standing alone beside the TARDIS console.

"Well, I don't care. I am taking a good bath for now. I'm freezing as hell and my clothes are still drenched from all that rain" she called back at him, heading for her room into the deeper inside of the TARDIS.

"Fine, see you tomorrow" he returned, flipping all different buttons on the console again as if trying to already adjust the coordinates for their next trip. "Prepare for tropical climate and take long clothing. There's this planet in the Cazillian System, lovely sea view, they actually have floating upright waterfalls. Can you imagine? The Water is going up the cliff instead of falling down!"

Rose paused and looked back at him.

"Aren't you gonna change?" she asked, looking a little bewildered at the concentrated working Doctor.

He looked up at her in surprise. "Why would I?"

"Well, for instant, because you are completely soaked and it was actually freezing cold out there. And I don't believe you would want to catch a cold."

He snorted in disbelieve. "Time Lords don't catch colds. We have way superior body physics to you lot. And besides, it's not really cold anyway. I don't know what you humans are all complaining about. It's just a little water. Free shower if you take it! Water never killed anyone. Well, little water at least. Well, except for little water in respiratory passages of the body."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't mind. I am going to change anyhow. Humans actually do get colds you know? I can't help myself for being an inferior being to the all-mighty Time Lord!"

She didn't wait for his response and instead headed with long striving steps into the never ending corridors of the TARDIS. She hated it when he got all jabbering about his superior body structure. Didn't help him much against a Dalek-attack, did it?

Time Lords might be one of the most advanced species in the universe, but they sure weren't all-mighty. Even though some of them, all big pinstriped ones in blue police boxes first, might actually believe so.

* * *

After a long warm bath Rose finally felt human again. She hit the mattress without actually caring about shifting from her long pink fluffy dressing grown into the worn out t-shirt she usually used as pyjamas.

She just felt so tired. It was an amazing day, without questioning, but still a very long one. Like most of her days in the TARDIS actually.

Of course she wouldn't complain. She loved to travel the whole of time and space, seeing all these wonders and getting tangled up in all those different kinds of adventures, saving the world.

But still, from time to time she just wished for a day without a whole new planet, just a day to relax and do nothing really, nothing at all. Of course she would never admit that to the all energetic Doctor, always excited to bring her to the most extraordinary planets he could possible think of.

Rose sighed as she closed her eyes and doze off to sleep without even really noticing, her dreams full of the same remarkable adventures in the little blue alien box, which still couldn't quite compare with the reality the universe actually held for her.

* * *

In the morning Rose still felt a little worn as she moved with heavy steps to the TARDIS kitchen. It was quite a short night for Rose taste, but she didn't want to miss out on any new adventures with the Doctor and she knew how impatient he got if he had to stand still for all too long.

So she was a little surprised as she entered the large drawn-out room just to find it empty.

How strange, usually this time around the Doctor was all up and awake, bouncing with energy and already waiting for her inside, two cups of tea prepared to tell her all about the beauty and mysteries of this new planet he really wanted to show her around.

Rose headed over to the worktop to prepare the tea by herself. She actually had to pause a second to find her way around the thousand alien specialties, all sorted inside a large cupboard.

But it wasn't until she finished her second mug of strange bright green alien tea, which tasted in a pleasant way like apple juice mixed with some sort of vanilla, as she finally got a little restless.

The Doctor still hadn't shown up.

* * *

She placed her empty cup into the sink and headed forwards to the console room, but her concern just grew boundless as she found the room empty.

The TARDIS console lay in a dim green light, as if the ship was sleeping. Humming in low, rhythmic waves as Rose touched the hovering glass. How strange, it felt like the TARDIS was in some way dozed off. Rose couldn't actually phrase her feeling, but it felt as if the ship was moping about something.

Rose felt her stomach grumble.

"Doctor?" she called out load, her anxiety growing by the minute over the strange behaviour of the TARDIS. What if something was wrong with the Doctor?

She looked around the console room, feeling a little helpless.

What should she do?

Well, the Doctor couldn't have left the TARDIS. Not without her anyway, which meant he must be somewhere down the infinite entrails of the ship. Rose turned over, facing the dark narrow corridor.

She'd already recognised her first night with the remarkable ship that the sheer endless corridors never quite led to the same places every single time she walked through them. But despite, she'd never had problems finding her way around the ships baffling interior, for it might not always led her the ways she expected them to, but still always to the places she wanted to find.

But what if the Doctor was lost somewhere down the boundless corridors?

No, he wouldn't be, would he?

The TARDIS wouldn't actually let him go lost inside her. But then again, she turned over to the somehow sickly singing console, the ship was somehow off. Something was really wrong.

* * *

She sighed and threw one last glance at the buzzing control tower.

Whatever was wrong, it had something to do with the Doctor.

Rose had actually only ever seen the TARDIS behave like this if the ship was in some way not quite fond with the conducts of the Doctor.

Rose felt her face lit up. Gosh, she started to sound like the Doctor, talking about the ship as if she were his mother.

She never really questioned that the ship was in some way more than a mere transport device. She was quite sure about that, even though she still found herself stumbling over the strange ways the Doctor actually talked to his ship.

Rose sighed. This was no good. She had to finally find out what was wrong. She placed one hand at the large glass column and looked up the console, a little unsure how to act.

Well, it wouldn't help much to question the real capability of the TARDIS right now.

* * *

She took a good breath, before she smiled up at the glooming tower.

"Hello, old girl. What's wrong?" she asked, still feeling a little silly, talking to a machine, but to her mere surprise the TARDIS answered through sending a buzzing wave up her arm.

Rose boggled a little by the feeling, but caught herself just a second later. She already sort of knew this way of the TARDIS communicating.

She placed her hand onto the column again.

"Is something wrong with the Doctor?" she asked further, feeling the buzzing run over her skin.

"Where is he? Can you show me?" The TARDIS hummed in a deep tone as the lights flickered a little over Rose head. Rose followed the blinking light over the ceiling.

She took this as a 'yes'.

* * *

Rose held her breath as she stood in front of the beautiful wooden door. Golden engravings of the old circular gallifreyan language rose in inscrutable patterns above the surface.

She actually had passed the room many times, always feeling a little inquisitorial about its inside. But on her first night spent in the TARDIS the Doctor had been quite fond with this. One of his strict rules: "Never enter this room."

He told her she could feel free to explore the whole wonders of his miraculous ship, but never ever open this beautiful shaped door. Never enter the room she was most interested about: his room.

She let out a heavy breath and looked up the crested ceiling of the corridor. "Are you sure about this?" she asked the TARDIS feeling a little timid. The Doctor had been stern sure with this one: Never enter his room. And she had accepted his privacy thus far.

He had never entered her room on the other hand. It was like their unspoken compliance to not enter the others privacy.

The TARDIS gave her a reassuring hum. Rose worried her lip.

Well, at least this new, new Doctor wasn't as severe with his rules anymore. She wasn't even sure if he would mind her looking into his room. Well, probably not. Not really, anyway.

She'd never seen him angry, or at least not really angry with her. But still, she had wanted to keep their boundaries until this.

But now there was something wrong with him and the TARDIS made it quite sure she wanted to lead her to this place, this room.

Rose sighed. With as much caution as if she might break the crested door by merely touching it, she grabbed the golden door knob. It felt cold in her unsteady hands.

She paused again for a moment as if she was about to enter the cage of a wild, dangerous animal which might attack her the second she walked into the room, before she finally opened the door.

* * *

The room was dark, only faintly lit by some dim lights from the gloomy ceiling. Rose held her breath as she carefully closed the door behind her. She wasn't quite sure what she expected, but probably not this.

Well, the room suited him.

The ceiling and the walls were covered in a very dark blue colour. Almost like the midnight sky dimly lit by stars. TARDIS blue.

The room wasn't as big as she had expected it to be. A big study in very dark coloured wood stood at the wall beside her. It was covered in papers and books and hundreds of little knick-knacks which Rose couldn't even start to put names to, but which looked as if she might find them bolt onto the TARDIS console one day.

The other side of the room was stuffed with a huge bookshelf. Thousands of books were crammed carelessly into the rack, papers all sprawled over them and even more sundries piling over the shafts.

But Rose glance got caught by something else than the mess around the furniture.

On the other side of the wall opposite of Rose hung some pictures.

* * *

These were the only real pictures in the whole room.

She slowly headed over to the wall as she recognised herself smiling brightly into the camera. Rose stiffened as she looked at the photographs. All these pictures showed her! And only her.

Her and the Doctor, standing hand in hand on the cliff of this strange planet they visited just days after his regeneration, Rose smiling with her best tongue between teeth simile into the camera.

Rose and her mother arm in arm grinning into the camera Mickey held as they stopped by to visit them some time ago.

Rose laughing out loud with a pink paper crown sitting on top of her head, while she pulled on one end of a cracker with the Doctor laughing brightly and holding onto the other on Christmas Day.

And one last little picture Rose couldn't even remember when it might be taken.

It showed them both; her and the Doctor standing somewhere underneath a bright lit sky, Rose staring lost in thoughts into the clouds, one hand rose as if she just absent-mindedly put her long hair behind her ear. The Doctor stood beside her, his glance glued on her face as if she was the true wonder they were admiring on the mysterious planet.

Rose knitted her brow. She actually couldn't remember where the picture might be taken. Rather than speaking whom the picture was taken from!

But she could imagine why the Doctor might have kept it. They both looked so happy. As if they needed nothing except each other.

* * *

"Rose?" Rose boggled in surprise by the low, hoarse voice coming from the opposite side of the room. She turned over to see his bright eyes shining at her through the darkness of the room.

Rose felt her remorse growing inside her stomach, she flinched a little under his glance. She felt guilty for intruding his privacy like that.

"I-I'm sorry" she stumbled. "You weren't there this morning and the TARDIS looked somehow weird, so I got worried and ... I'm sorry" she managed to bluster out in such remarkable speed she wasn't sure if he even got the mere gist of what she was trying to say.

He let his head fall back in the soft pillow he was laying on inside a huge dark wooden bed, a little hidden behind a small cove, Rosen hadn't notice her first look around the room.

"Its fine" he finally coughed after some awkward silence.

Rose listened up at his tone. He sounded sort of muffled, even though his head lay straight on top of his pillow. Carefully Rose walked further towards the large bedding.

It was a beautiful furniture, which reminded her of the bed in her own room on the remarkable ship, even though the wood was in a very dark brown tone rather than her white own bed. Delicate engravings garnished the back of its rest, just like the ones outside on the door.

* * *

Rose stopped a few steps next to him as she finally managed to capture the whole absurdity of the situation: the Doctor lying in bed. The Doctor actually sleeping!

Sleeping in, as a matter of fact, whilst she was bright and awake since more than a few hours.

But Rose furrowed her brows as she got a closer look on his face. He was quite pale. His hair stood in a brown mess around his face, while his eyes were closed. He looked like he was in pain. If Rose didn't know it better she'd say he looked sick, very sick.

"Are you all right?" she asked, heading nearer to his side and quickly kneeled down in a still appropriate distance in front of the bed.

He opened his eyes, still not looking at her. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling which reminded Rose so much of a midnight sky in sparkling starlight.

"Yes, fine" he croaked, his voice sounded husky. "Look Rose, do you mind if we skip the day? I know, I promised you Lenvador and the magnificent raising falls of Xalicatroff, but would you mind if we leave that for tomorrow?" He still wasn't looking at her, his glance glued to the top.

Rose tilted her head, her brows raised. The Doctor wanting to skip on a new adventure? _The_ Doctor?

The most energetic and eccentric man in the whole wide universe wanting to spent a day lying in bed over the excitement of new adventures on a remote planet?

Rose couldn't help herself anymore she rushed over to his side and placed herself onto the bed so she could actually look him in the eye.

* * *

He looked horrible.

His eyes were red and watery; his nose and cheeks looked reddened, little drops of sweat covering his forehead. His hair was a mess, standing up in all directions.

"Oh my God, Doctor!" Rose blurt out and placed a hand on his cheek. "What happened to you?"

His skin felt incredible hot under her touch, almost as if he was burning from the inside.

"Nothing, I'm fine!" he said still looking in the opposite direction, so he didn't need to meet her gaze.

"You're sure? You look awful!" she told him, stroking on strand of thick brown hair of his forehead. He frowned a little under her touch.

"Yep!" he answered quick, popping the 'p'. "Look Rose, I'm sorry, we have to cancel the trip. But I'm sure you'll find some way to pass the time. Have you seen the movie theatre yet?"

Rose laughed while she slowly let her hand drop beside his face.

"The movie theatre? The TARDIS actually has a movie theatre?" she asked quickly, very much light hearted to cover up the awkwardness of the situation.

"Of course she does! How couldn't she have one? First turn left, follow the lead, second turn right, just pass the pool, underneath the closet, third turn right, second door on the left. Just chose any film you like."

Rose couldn't help herself from laughing out loud. She leaned a little away from him, while she shook her head over his deliberations.

"What?" he asked innocently his voice pitched a little higher. Rose just shook her head again.

"Nothing."

"What?" he asked again, searching her eyes, before he caught himself on what he was doing and purposefully looked away again. "Ohh, you could try 'Alice in Wonderland' the Tim Burton edition, of course. Oh no wait, you really should try 'Shakespeare in Love'! I've always been a sucker the good romance bits. No, no, no, wait. Remember the movie I told you about? The one with Lee Pace? The Fall? You really should give it a go!"

Rose laughed again, but caught his hand when he was gesturing wild to underline his points. His hand felt just as hot as his face had on her light touch.

"Or," she added to his suggestions with a little knowing smile on her face. "Or, you could just tell me what's wrong with you instead of trying to divert my attention, so I wouldn't need to worry all day and might actually be able to help you."

He sighed, blowing a deep breath out of his chest. "Really, Rose, it's nothing. I just" he paused, looking away again.

"What?" she encouraged him, interlacing their fingers, so he couldn't bolt away again. "Doctor, you can tell me."

"I'm sick" he finally croaked out. Rose stared at him for a moment, blinking in bewilderment.

"Okaaay" Rose stretched the word. "I don't mean to insult you, but I sort of already figured that" she told him, gesturing in an attempt to capture the whole oddity of the situation of him spending the day in bed.

He laughed a little, his voice still sounded rather hoarse.

"It's because of the rain yesterday" he tried to explain. "I kind of" he struggled for words. "I kind of caught a cold."

* * *

Rose stared at him in disbelieve dropping his hand in her consternation, as he finally searched for her gaze, his dark brown eyes finding hers for the first time. Seconds passed as they looked at each other in silence, tension trickling the air, before Rose finally burst out into laughter.

"No, you can't be serious!" she croaked. "Don't tell me! The superb all mighty Time Lord caught something as common as a cold?"

He attuned her laughter. "Well, I suppose I did."

"No, wait, you're not getting away just like that!" She pointed her finger at him. He blinked while he tried to focus his vision. "What?" he asked bewildered.

"Oh come on, don't give me the ignorant. You know what I mean!" she expelled loudly.

"Say it: I was right. I, Rose Tyler, was right. I was right and the all mighty, all omniscient Time Lord was not! Go on, say it!"

He dropped his head, defeated.

"You were right" he answered faintly. Rose spun her head. "What? Sorry, couldn't hear 'ya there."

"You were right. You, Rose Tyler were right!" he cried out the words, his voice bouncing in the silence of the room. Rose burst out into laughter.

"You are always right, aren't you?" he added quieter while Rose wiped her eyes.

"Oh come on you big stubborn alien berk." She pocked the sulky Doctor in the side, before she caught his hand again, pulling the Doctor upright in his bed.

"What're you doing?" he asked baffled.

"What do you think? You're sick I'm preparing you a nice cuppa. Finally it's my turn to be the one looking out for _you_!"


	4. Having Nightmares

**Disclaimer** **: This a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any institutions or persons, dead or alive, or already existing fictional characters is purely coincidental.**

 **... No? Well, it was worth a try.**

* * *

 _This story is for all my faithful readers who actually beard with me until this point! I'm honoured about every single person who decides to spare their time to actually read my stories._

 _I hope you enjoy this story just half as much as I loved writing it!_

* * *

 **Trigger Warning**

This story contains minor blood, mild abuse and potential character death

* * *

Having Nightmares

No!

She was not fast enough. Why wasn't she fast enough? Why had she always been this tiny little pace to slow?

To slow to escape the cellar of van Statten in the hell of Utah, to slow to grab a hold on the hand stretched out in front of her, to slow to keep up with the Doctor.

Rose was holding her unsteady breath as she tried to run fast, just this one time, but she just couldn't get any space.

It seemed as if the whole world had stopped spinning around her, trapping her in time and space, while she could hear the quick and heavy steps of her attackers closing up the small distance between them. Rose closed her eyes.

Oh Doctor. She had done it. She would leave him. Leave him behind, all by himself.

She was breaking her promise. She had promised to never leave him. Never leave him alone again, not after all that he has been through. And yet she was doing it. She was giving up.

Again in her life, she just had been this tiny little pace to slow.

* * *

"Rose!"

Her head shot up. He was here. Standing there, right in front of her, with his big nose and ears, his nostrils widened in fear.

Hands stretched out in a desperate longing touch, his eyes were begging her not to give up just yet, to fasten her steps, to hold on just a little longer until she was safe again. Safe in his arms and embrace.

Rose swallowed her own qualms. No, she couldn't give up. Not with him standing there, still believing in her. She was Rose Tyler she didn't give up like that. Never.

She fastened her step, collecting all her remaining power to push herself of the ground. She could hear the deep growls becoming angry as she put on her speed, widening the gap between her and the monsters.

In front of her she could see him grin. His huge grin opening up his whole face which broke the currish look behind his eyes in an instant, melting of the ice and leaving him irradiate like a brilliant, mighty sun.

Rose mirrored his expression, her tongue poking out between her teeth as she stretched her own arms, longing to catch his touch, to grab his hands and to burrow her face in the mild fabric of his dark jumper.

But it was then that the image shattered.

* * *

Just like that, the Doctor broke down in front of her. Her Doctor. Crackling like a clapped-out brick wall, collapsing right there on the spot.

Rose screamed after him, but no sound escaped her throat, as if she had been muted by an invisible force.

But on the spot of the Doctor stood yet another man. A young man with ruffled brown hair and ancient deep brown eyes which held so much kindness in them, although the haunted impression never quite left after all.

Nevertheless it was still him, her Doctor, and he was looking at her in confusion and disarray.

Rose kept her step as she saw the panic in those familiar warm chocolate eyes, widening in horror of the danger tracking Rose.

But then a smile spread on his face, lightening his features as he saw her putting up on speed, leaving a fair distance between her and the monsters, and his eyes beamed down on her in pride and wonder as if those gentle eyes were meant to only lighten up when they locked their gaze on her.

* * *

Suddenly, two huge claws glinted right behind him, and before Rose could do anything more than gasp out a small, surprised wheeze, they violently forced their way through his chest, leaving two dark marks and almost black blood draining the fabric of his brown pinstriped suit.

Rose cried out in horror as his eyes widened in surprise.

He stared at Rose who finally had managed to reach his side, her arms flying helplessly around his thin frame as he broke down right into her arms, gasping out in pain.

"Doctor! No. Doctor, please." Rose cried out. Her voice shaken in pain as she felt the hot sticky liquid drenching is jacket.

"No. No, you can't leave me. You can't. Please Doctor! Not like this. Please" she pleaded in quiet moans as she held him tight to her chest.

But she knew it was too late. Knew it by the sad, almost apologetic look in his eyes.

Tears ran down her cheeks, dripping quietly on his rumpled shirt as she shook her head in disagreement: "No."

He couldn't leave her. She couldn't lose him. Not again.

"Rose" he breathed out, his cool, gentle fingers ghosting at the side of her cheek in an attempt to wipe away her tears.

Rose raised her own hand, capturing his cold fingers which felt even cooler than usual in her heated touch, as his eyeballs rolled back and he closed his eyes beneath her gaze.

There was no regeneration. No magic trick, no miracle wonder to heal him in seconds and leave him bouncing out energetically with a beaming smile on his face. Not this time.

This time his young face, which showed the ancient being of the last Time Lord left in existence, stayed motionless forever.

* * *

Rose gasped out in pain as her eyes flew open. She was covered in sweat.

Her hair felt unpleasantly sticky on her forehead and she could hear her heartbeat drumming loud inside her ears as she took in her surrounding in confusion.

Right, she was inside her room in the TARDIS.

Rose let her eyes wander around the familiar mess of the room. It was as untidy as she remembered it being.

Her cloths were left uncared somewhere in small piles all over the floor. She had been very tired after yet another day of running, running with the Doctor, which left no time for such profound things as tidying her room.

It had been an almost endless day which had left them locked up in jail, an actual tiny dirty cell, for the Doctor apparently forgetting humans weren't allowed on this small, but yet really beautiful tropical planet somewhere far off in the universe with a name Rose could neither pronounce nor remember.

* * *

Rose shot up, her hands clasping her chest. The Doctor!

She could feel her own heartbeat shooting up in speed as she remembered his eyes darted in pain and horror.

But, no, this had been just a dream. Or hadn't it?

It felt so real. Rose could feel her limps becoming stone cold by the mere thought of his lean figure twisted in pain. He had seemed so small, so helpless in this moment.

But this hadn't been real. It couldn't be. The Doctor was all right. Perfectly fit and jolly as ever. Everything was just a dream and she was safe inside her room, the TARDIS humming a soothing rhythmic beat, trying to comfort her.

And yet her heart wouldn't stop thrumming inside her chest. There had been so much blood. And the Doctor had seemed so hurt. She never wanted to see him hurt and helpless like that.

Well, of course she already had. She had seen him die, actually. But never had she seen him so small and completely broken like that.

Rose shook her head in horror as the images played again as vividly in her mind. His eyes pained in horror, his body broken, the massive claws of the monster piercing his chest-

She shoot up in seconds. She couldn't stay inside this room any moment longer.

Without actually knowing what she was doing, she jumped out of bed, letting her feet and the TARDIS lead her way.

* * *

Rose stopped a little insecure as she stepped into the dimly lit control room of the TARDIS.

She could tell it was still way before her usual morning hour and yet, she couldn't imagine to walk back to her room, having to face the horror of her worst nightmare's traces still lurking in the shadows.

So she paused somewhat nervy as she spotted the Doctors long, pinstriped legs pocking out underneath the console, as he was apparently yet again tinkering with its functions.

What should she tell him? She most definitely wouldn't admit she was frightened by some bad dreams she'd had. Not to him anyway.

Maybe she should just head back as long as he hadn't realised her standing there, completely lost in nothing but her jim-jams.

But even if she didn't want to admit it, she needed to see him safe.

She needed to see him smile and his eyes spark up with glee as he rambled about something in a million miles per hours Rose couldn't even start to make sense to. She needed to see him healthy and happy to dismiss the terrible images in her mind.

So she made a small sound, leaving him shoot up in surprise, his head bashing audible against the console.

* * *

He peaked out beneath the twisted frame, his face drawn in annoyance as he rubbed his head.

"Rose?" he asked a little startled as he ran his eyes above her unusual appearance.

"Shouldn't you be in bed? Thought you were asleep."

Rose bit her bottom lip in guilt as she saw his worried expression.

"Well, yes I was. But," she folded her hands nonchalantly behind her back, stretching her limps.

"I'm awake now. So, what do you say? Where to next? I'm for some place warm, don't you reckon? Or maybe something really adventurous? Like, huge mountains and fountains and stuff. Mum's always raved about those lots she'd seen on some documentary or somethin'."

He raised his eyebrows, the thin line almost touching his all messy hair as he climbed himself completely free from underneath the console and crossed his long arms on her.

"I thought you were tired?" he pointed at her in confusion. Rose worried her lip again.

"Well, yes, I was, but I'm not anymore. Let's do something funny, I'm up for an adventure!" she boomed enthusiastically.

The Doctors eyebrows shot even higher. "Really?" he asked her doubtfully.

"Because, I do remember, quite vividly, how just a second ago a certain someone was dragging herself behind me up to her room after our last trip to Daroulia, saying she hadn't slept properly in days and cursing me for towing us onto this lurid planet, where they apparently have no idea what a proper human bed should look like. Mind you, they most likely really wouldn't have, as humans are despised and banned on Daroulia, but that's not the point here."

He paused, knitting his brow as he tried to follow his own line of thinking. Rose smiled warmly at his little rant, secretly feeling so glad and relieved to see him babble again.

* * *

He looked at her in disapproval. "You really should go back to bed. You just had about three hours of sleep, but the human body needs at least six hours to function without restraints."

A small smile escaped his lips and his eyes twinkled as he looked at her with a little smirk. "Well, let's make that at least eight for Rose sleep, before you are functioning enough to step out of that door of yours, all knackered and complaining you still hadn't had enough sleep."

Rose twisted her mouth. She wasn't asking where exactly he had all that information from.

"Well, and whose fault is that?" she teased him instead, her tongue poking out at the corner of her mouth. "Who's always rackling at my door, shouting for me to get up, when I obviously still hadn't had enough 'Rose sleep' yet?"

"Well," he stepped back pulling at his ear in discomfort. "Obviously eight hours of sleep is more than a proper amount for even you sleepy human lot! Its eight hours, Rose! Eight! Who sleeps for eight hours? That's lunatic."

"Imagine what one could do in eight hours!" He counted down on the long outstretched fingers of his hand: "You could at least watch three Harry Potter movies or you could fit in a good amount of two Elvis concerts! Mind you, I bet you even could go and see several Shakespeare plays performed in the globe theatre and be back around in time to prepare tea, just before said human pops out dressed in her all pink and fluffy morning groan with that typical frowny morning look on her face."

Rose eyebrows shot up. "Are you talking out of experience?"

He backed down again, the tips of his ears and cheeks getting a tiny reddish tan. "Well ..."

Rose barked out a loud laugh, whipping her eyes of the unshared tears as she saw him back down like a little kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

"Well Doctor, I am here now, not sleeping and I'm up for an adventure" she chipped in, beaming up at him.

She could see him catch his breath, his hand dropping almost instantly to his side as automatically his mouth twisted into a huge grin as a response to her smiling at him like that.

Time and space seemed to pause around them for just a second as the two time travellers lost themselves in each other's gleeful stares, before the Doctors eyes dropped, a mischievous smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

He raised his eyebrow at her. "What? Up for an adventure? In your pyjama?"

Rose eyed her own appearance before looking back up at him, shrugging.

"Never stopped you, did it? Saving the world in jim-jams on Christmas Day?"

He sniffed. "Well, that's the problem-free philosophy, isn't it?" he crooned grinning down on her with his huge boy smile. Rose just looked up at him, puzzled.

"Hakuna Matata? No?" he asked. Rose just cocked her head, still staring in daze.

"The Lion King? Blimey, Rose!"

She could feel a smile creeping up her face. "I've never actually seen that, you know?" she told him, running a hand up her neck. "Mum's always thought it off as stupid and childish and therefore never wanted to go see it with me, and then with the years I just grew older and ... well, forgot about it."

Now it was the Doctors turn to stare at her in consternation. She laughed at his horrified expression.

"You have never seen the Lion King?" he muttered unintelligently. Rose just pursed her lips, shaking her head in a slow response.

"Not even once?" he asked again, his voice becoming all high and bouncy in his disbelief.

Rose shook her head once more, mustering with wild amusement the startled expression of her Time Lord.

"Not even on TV?"

Rose laughed. "No, Doctor. I haven't seen the Lion King and still managed to come through more than twenty years of life just fine."

But with that he snapped out of his rigidity, grapping her hand. "Well, no, no, no, no we absolutely can't have that!" he blurred out pulling her behind him, her hand in a firm grip, as he led her back into the depths of the TARDIS.

* * *

Rose laughed as she let him drag her behind into the mysterious interior of his marvellous ship.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" Rose called out giggling as she tried to keep up with his longer paces.

The Doctor glanced back at her, grinning in a huge manic expression.

"Well, I am not letting my companion wander around the universe like that! You, Rose Tyler, are not leaving this ship before you haven't seen the Lion King at least once!" he declared as he led her down yet another narrow corridor of the ship.

Rose laughed at his proclamation. "So, where are you leading me?"

"The media room of course!" he announced rolling his eyes at her as if it was obvious and Rose narrow to even ask.

"Wait, the TARDIS actually does have a movie theatre?" Rose looked up in fluster.

He glanced back at her, looking a little startled by her question. "Well, of course she does! Do you think I travel time and space in a miraculous bigger on the inside spaceship without having a telly on board?"

Rose pursed her lips. "Suppose not."

He grinned, beaming down on her. "Exactly!"

He had one hand raised to a door handle, finally stopping by the side of an inconspicuous looking door, before pushing the door open in a large sweeping gesture and pulling Rose behind him inside the large, dimly lit but very comfortable looking room.

* * *

Rose stopped, gasping in wonder as she let her gaze wander around the room.

It was much bigger than her bed room, but yet not as large and sprawling as the enormous console room of the stunning ship, with a gigantic screen plastered onto one side of the wall, circled by a small gathering of very comfortable looking chairs and sofas.

The whole room was lit by an ambient soft light, which almost seemed to radiate from the surrounding walls.

Rose stared in amazement at the happily grinning Doctor, before said griped her hand again, pulling her towards the big brown couch. She giggled as he literally pushed her into a fluffy mess of very cosy looking pillows.

"You wait here make yourself comfortable while I'll get everything ready" he declared, letting go of her hand and rushing back to the door.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Rose had almost no time to shout after him as he was already speeding to the backside of the room, disappearing into the endless corridors of the TARDIS.

"Back in a tick!" he shouted back at her, his voice bouncing of the empty walls as he hurried outside, leaving Rose to giggle madly at his vast disappearance.

* * *

It wasn't five minutes later, Rose had barely cuddled herself into the huge pile of pillows behind her back to make herself comfortable that he rushed back in, balancing a huge bowl in one hand and a big fluffy white pile covering his face on the other.

Rose laughed as she saw him, but as an answer he just threw a big white blanket right on top of her head. Giggling she tried to climb herself free of the fluffy mess.

"What's that?" she asked, as he sat on the other side of the sofa, bouncing a little on the soft surface and placed a huge bowl of popcorn right between their legs. He grinned at her.

"Well, perfect movie night! I got it all settled. Here's the popcorn" he handed her the bowl still grinning like a madman as she dug into the crispy flakes, shoving a handful into her mouth.

"We've got the sofa, a huge TV screen and a fluffy blanket! No fussing about none human beddings, now you can make yourself perfectly comfortable and relax." He smiled, pretty pleased with himself, cramming a huge handful of popcorn into his own mouth and humming lightly as his teeth dug into the crunchy sweet corn.

* * *

Rose felt her cheeks grow warm. He'd done all that just to make her feel better again. Of course he must have known how tired and uncomfortable she was. He probably even knew that she had bad dreams. She could feel her stomach twist and tickle all funny in response as the thought struck her.

Her heart warmed, but she just quickly shied away as she felt her ears grow hot, so instead she just lingered her eye onto the big empty screen in front of them.

"So, is the movie actually good, then?" she asked him, mostly to distract herself.

He shot her a funny glance, his mouth full of popcorn. "'Course it is!" he claimed. "It's the most emotional movie ever made in all human history! Well, maybe except for Bambi, that was ..." He shivered a little as his eyes got lost in memory. Rose laughed at him but quickly changes her mind as yet another thought struck her.

"So, am I gonna cry?" she asked in a fast manner, her voice coming out smaller and more unsteady then intended.

He looked at her, eyebrows raised up in surprise at her vast change in tone, so she just added quickly: "I mean, I don't want to look like a total wimp or something" she laughed half-heartedly.

She wasn't going to tell him she was actually worried about her own nightmares images coming up over watching an old children's film.

But he just grinned at her. "Well, honestly, I'd be more offended if you wouldn't cry. If you ask me, anyone who doesn't cry at Lion King either has no heart or is not human."

Rose smiled, her tongue poking out a little at the corner of her mouth. "What about you then? Are you gonna cry?" she retorted a little mischievous grin crossing her face.

He sniffed, making an important face.

"Well, Time Lords are well beyond those sort of things. We don't get carried away over emotion. And most certainly not over those of some animated film characters," he emphasised, straightening his tie.

Rose barked out a huge laugh wiping her eye. "Sure."

He shot her a quick glance, the corners of his mouth twitching and his eyes sparkling at the sight of her laughter.

"So, let's start then, shall we?"

* * *

Of course she cried. She could feel the tears escaping the corners of her eyes, blurring her sight as Simba stood next to his dead father, his small cries fading away in the far distance of the large chasm.

Small, hot tears ran down the sides of her cheeks, dropping down on the fabric of her top as she felt her heart torn out for the small lion having to face such loss.

She could imagine just exactly how he felt right now.

But a little sniffle to her right distracted Rose and she let her glace wander over to the Doctor, just to catch him wiping his own eye, before he quickly crossed his arms again in an rather stiff gesture right above his chest.

She grinned quietly but turned her attention back onto the now again bright and colourful movie.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" he asked her, as the music faded quietly over the ending credits rolling on the large TV screen.

Rose looked at him as he narrowed her with expectant eyes, anticipating her judgement. She could picture him holding his breath.

A huge grin crossed her face. "Oh, I loved it."

As a response he just beamed down at her in admiration.

"It was really good. I was so sad at Mufasas death," she explained further, burying herself a little deeper into her huge mess of fluffy pillows and blanket which soothed her in a cosy warm cocoon, but also shielded her body quite safely from the lanky figure of the Doctor who was sitting at the other end of the couch.

"Unbelievable Scar'd actually do that!" she called out, outraging herself over the impossible character.

"I know!" the Doctor joined in. "Who would do such a thing? The poor little Simba!" he raged.

"Left all alone by himself with the guilt of being responsible for his own father's death when he's nothing more than a child! Who would be able to endure that?" he stopped talking, his voice snapping over his own words as if the air had suddenly been cut from his lungs.

* * *

Rose shot him a long stare, her heart twisting as she recognised the familiar despair building in his eyes.

"Yeah, I cried like a water fountain! Couldn't help myself, the tears just sloshed out" she quickly added to snatch him out of his misery. It worked, he looked up at her a teasing smile on his face, his tongue touching his upper teeth.

"Told ya, best emotional movie in the whole wide universe. Although, I was quite sure you'd cry."

She hit his arm, which was quite difficult considering the huge pile of fluffy blanket she had to deal with to reach over to him.

"Ouch! Rose!" he complained, shying away from her as he rubbed his upper arm.

"I was gonna cry? What makes that you then? Eh? Mister All-so-mighty-Time-Lord? Saw you crying like a little baby. "

"Did not!" he screeched, raising his chin.

Rose laughed, poking his chest. "Oh yes you did."

"Well," he captured her hand, entwining their fingers as he did so, approximately playing with her index as he avoided her gaze. "I did say that anyone who doesn't cry at Lion King has no heart, didn't I?"

Rose grinned in a jesting mannerism, her teeth capturing her tongue, mostly to hide the fact that her heart had started to startle and jump in her chest by the way he had just trapped her hand in passing.

"And here I thought Time Lords were above those kind of emotion" she joked, her heart twisted as she looked at him. "What does this make you then, eh Doctor?"

He dropped her hand, but left their fingers linked to each other as he looked up at the big, now again empty screen thoughtfully. His eyes seemed centuries away.

Rose heart dropped a little as she saw the emptiness in his eyes. She hadn't meant to upset him, just make a joke.

Finally he looked up at her, his eyes distant and vulnerable. "Human, I suppose" he said, his voice sounding small.

* * *

Rose bit her lip, carefully squeezing his fingers in their light touch. With once the Doctor snapped out of his absent gaze, returning to his proper cheerful state, his eyes sparkling in glee.

"Well, Rose Tyler, up for the next adventure yet?" he asked, a huge grin crossing his face. Rose felt the corners of her mouth turning up automatically in response to his smirk, but the smile never quite reached her eyes.

"Sure," she retorted mimicking his excited tone. Fiddling with her blanket she tried to dig herself free from her cosy mess. "What is it then? Some place warm, ya? Uhh how about dinosaurs? You never actually showed me dinosaurs."

She tried to suppress a big yawn as she stowed away their now empty popcorn bowl to stretch her back. She wouldn't admit it, but sitting this comfortable with him on the couch actually had been quite nice and by now she really could feel the lack of sleep slowly creeping up on her.

Truth be told, she was incredibly tired. She could feel the Doctors gaze on her, he eyed her expression carefully.

"No? Well, how about something really exciting then? I'm up for some running!" She grinned at him, her eyes sparkling in glee. He pursed his lips in return.

"Well, yeah sure, sounds great. Or ..." he paused, running one hand over his neck. He avoided her gaze.

"Or?" she pressed softly, curiosity playing in her voice.

"Dunno, we could stay here. I'll fetch us some more popcorn. Have you ever actually seen Lady and the Tramp?" he pointed out carefully.

* * *

Rose mouth felt agape as she stared at him.

"I mean, if you want. Stay here. I'll make you us some tea," he added swift.

Rose considered him suspiciously. "Are you sure? You would prefer staying in the TARDIS, watching an old children's film over going out to chase some dinosaurs?"

"Lady and the Tramp, Rose! That's no old children's film. It's an all-time romantic classic!" he snapped in a rather spiky tone in response.

Rose laughed at him as he eyed her gingerly.

"You would really stay in here?" she asked intrigued, this time with real wonder in her voice.

He avoided her gaze but Rose could see his Adams apple bobble lightly as he twisted in discomfort.

"If ... if you like," he finally blustered.

Rose could feel her stomach tingle all funny again, as she averted her gaze, her cheeks blushing in a faint red. "I would love to see Lady and the Tramp" she finally admitted, shooting a rather shy, quick glance at him.

He grinned down on her, his chocolate eyes glowing with endearment and Rose could feel a smile creeping up her face in response, a real smile. One that left her soft hazel eyes sparkle with mirth.

At this moment he shot up, breaking the charming spell around them while audibly clearing his voice. "Well then, back in a tick. Don't you wander off on me!" he teased, waggling his finger in front of her face.

Rose laughed as he beamed at her before sprinting out the room once more.

* * *

Just moments later Rose found herself cuddled up in the cosy mess of blankets and pillows again, a steaming cup of tea in her hands and a babbly and joyful Doctor sitting somewhat close beside her, rambling about talking animals and funny dogs in Disney movies, as the opening credits of Lady and the Tramp rolled over the large TV screen.

Rose couldn't tell how or when it happened, but somehow during the film her hand found its secure way into the Doctors grip, interlacing their fingers with each other.

Before she even knew it, her head landed on his shoulder, her face cuddled in the fabric of his suit, she breathed in the soft, familiar sent of his shirt.

Her eyelids heavy from the lack of sleep, the voices and music of the film slowly faded into a faint blur in the backside of her mind, as her eyes finally fell shut.

Rose hadn't felt safe like this in months as she slowly doze off to sleep, cuddled up in a huge pile of pillows and blankets, the Doctors steady, strong double heart beat drumming securely in her ears.

Just like that, her nightmares forgotten and pushed back into the backside corner of her mind, Rose fell into the safest, deepest slumber she had had in weeks.


	5. The Lonely Boy

**Disclaimer : I do not own Doctor Who or any of the mentioned characters. In fact, I wouldn't want to own Doctor Who right now, but that's another story.**

* * *

 _For my faithful follower who reminded me that I still had some more story to tell you. Actually I do apologise for this one, it is a little bit different, but it was ment to be the last chapter of the story. But maybe I will change my mind about that._

* * *

 **The lonely boy**

Rose absent-mindedly stroke the intertwined patterns of the TARDIS walls with her fingers as she passed the endless corridors with none particular goal at hand.

It was a quiet day in the miraculous ship.

Without actually talking about it both Rose and the Doctor had come to the silent agreement to just skip the day on new adventures and spent it calmly on the inside of the TARDIS.

* * *

The Doctor had disappeared hours ago.

Rose might worry about him if she wouldn't hear the little hammering and tinkering sounds coming out of his room from time to time, followed by the one or other explosion which kept Rose from knocking on his door to ask what he was up to.

She could picture him working on spare parts for the TARDIS console, which would in any kind whatsoever improve the functions of his ship.

Actually, Rose came fast to the conclusion he just added the parts because he didn't know any better ways to pass his time.

However, she wasn't one to interfere with old habits, so she just let him do whatever he might be doing.

* * *

Rose had spent her morning in bed, an old habit she had abandoned every since she started travelling with the Doctor for the mere lack of time.

Usually around this time he would already be knocking firmly at her door, impatiently rocking on his heels, eager for her to finally get up and about so they could be off to any sorts of new adventure.

Though, for the sake of their new agreement to skip the day on travelling, she had finally come to spent hours and hours just lying around while actually doing nothing.

That had felt quite nice after all the running which came hand in hand with spending time with the all energetic Doctor.

Today she had finally managed to catch up on all the magazines she usually collected from all the strange planets they came around.

From time to time she was gathering some really weird stuff in the little shops they stopped by, so by now Rose had grown an estimable accumulation of the barmiest items she had stumbled over during their travels.

So, after hours spent lying stretched on her belly, her legs crossed behind her back on the enormous bed the TARDIS provided her in her room, Rose was up to date on the Djagaran royal family tattle, knew how to fix a Hermogydan anti-gravity motor cycle and was quite fond of the idea to start growing her own Scepterian silk-pillow-tree.

* * *

But for now she had finally managed to catch up on all the little things which got inevitably neglected whilst travelling with the Doctor, which had left her straying sort of aimless through the endless corridors of the TARDIS.

Eventually, after her time of just walking about, Rose ended in the empty console room which lay in a dim green light for not being needed the day.

Deep buried in thought Rose walked over to the centre of the room to delicately stroke her fingers above the impossible TARDIS console.

Rose had never quite started to understand all the different knick-knacks on the control surface.

It appeared like a miracle to her the Doctor was able to make any sense of all the varied levers, gauges and switches.

But after spending quite some time with him by now, she'd grown to the conclusion that sometimes he didn't know what he was doing with the stunning ship himself.

At times she was sure he just tried pushing all things he could possibly come up with, hoping it would bring him to the places he wanted to go.

Secretly Rose was quite sure that the TARDIS was the actual true driver of the little blue box and she just showed some sort of pity for her hopeless Time Lord.

But obviously Rose would never tell him that.

* * *

At last, Rose stopped her little way around the console, leaning her back with a soft sigh against the cold metal, her face turned towards the dark doorway which lead to the heart of the ship.

So, what should she do now?

Well, of course she could go fetch the Doctor. Ask him to bring her to any new planet he might come up with, threw them in any kind of daft, impossible new adventure.

But actually Rose didn't want to break their little silent agreement on spending the day quietly on the TARDIS.

As much as she loved the adventures and running with the Doctor, she really was in need for some sort of hiatus by now.

Of course it was fantastic to see all the miracle places alongside the Doctor, but on the other hand, she _was_ just a mere shop girl from the Powell Estate.

She missed the quite days, just loafing on the couch and laughing about the newest tatter on Eastenders. Maybe she could ask the Doctor to bring her back to her Mums? Just for a day or so.

But Rose knew how the Doctor thought about her mother and she wasn't quite fond of bringing up the idea just yet.

From Jackies point of view they'd visited her mother just two weeks ago, but for Rose it felt like decades. Her head started spinning if she just tried to recapitulate all the places they'd visited in the meantime.

Travelling with the Doctor really was incredible and fantastic and remarkable, but sometimes it became just a little much for a plain human from solar system, Earth, who hadn't even known alien life in the universe existed.

Let alone talk about the mere wonders whom awaited them if they'd were open enough to look up the sky and be willing to actually see them.

* * *

Rose let out a deep sigh. Well, this didn't really help much in finding out what she wanted.

She had spent enough time just lying around in her bedroom doing nothing, but she still wasn't quite ready to face any new sights waiting outside the blue wooden doors behind her.

Well, maybe it was time to explore some more of the stunning ship.

Her decision made, Rose pushed herself of the console, heading for the narrow corridors lying in a dim eerie shadow. Of course this wasn't her first stroll around the TARDIS.

Actually, by this time Rose had spent many hours travelling around the peerless ship.

But usually the TARDIS just led her to the places she wanted to go, which left little time for exploring more of the wonders of the ship.

If Rose wanted to find the Doctor, a door would appear right by her ride which led directly to him. If she wanted to find her way around the kitchen, the corridors would just shift to let her stumble right inside the large galley.

But Rose knew these weren't the only wonders the ship held to explore.

The Doctor said the TARDIS corridors were endless. Well, she couldn't quite imagine that, everything had to have an ending. Surely somewhere must be a wall which blocked the path and led her back.

But after spending more and more time with the Doctor and his miraculous ship, Rose ideas about the impossible had shifted somewhat and by now she wasn't quite as reluctant anymore to believe the TARDIS corridors might actually go on like this forever.

* * *

Rose paused a moment and let her gaze wander around her surroundings. All corridors were made of the same strange material as the console room.

Some sort of engulfed metal which left the impression all corridors of the ship had one day just sprawn out infinitely, starting to grow from the large control room, the centre of the impossible ship.

Everything inside was lit by a dim defuse light which appeared to come out of the surroundings walls themself and left the ship in a mystical ambiance that sort of fitted the mysterious time space ship.

Rose continued her way around the aisles, passing many doors which seemed to just grow out of the interwoven structure of the wall. After a while, she just started opening some doors at random, risking a little careful peek inside to possibly shut the doors quickly.

By doing that she had found her way to the pool the Doctor had actually mentioned around one or two conversations.

The pool lay in a huge bright tilted room, which gave the impression the enormous tub lay in bright sunlight, letting the radiant turquois water sparkle in a million different colours.

Rose made herself a mental note to definitely try out the pool any time soon, but continued her tour around the TARDIS for now.

* * *

Another door revealed an entirely black room which appeared to contain absolutely nothing, until Rose ventured a step inside the apparent void.

With just the time for a little surprised squeak, Rose suddenly found herself floating right on spot in mid-air, her hair standing upwards in a wild huddle, floating all around her.

Before her jumper, which appeared to develop a mind of its own, could hover any further, Rose swung her arms in a sweeping gesture around her body, turning her whole self around in a fast twist, which brought her securely out the doorstep, where she landed with a little 'bump' right on her backside on the floor.

Pulling a grimmace in annoyance, Rose rubbed her hurting bum as she continued her tour around the ship.

After time the doors on the sides of the corridors seemed to repeat themselves, but as soon as Rose opened one of them, she found herself in whole new sort of adventure.

* * *

There was a room which looked like a charming Victorian garden sprawling in warm sunlight.

One room showed various skies from distant planets, which changed its settings every few minutes or something.

Rose had paused a little inside that room, gazing up with her mouth hung open in wonder as the ceiling of the room changed from a very light golden lit colour, into a deep bright burning orange sky, to a purple clouded vault, which Rose recognized from a lovely planet with bolt headed dwarf like inhabitants whom Rose and the Doctor had saved from a nasty Grask invasion a few weeks ago.

Another room contained an actual real living fairy tale-like forest.

Rose had only dared to walk a few steps inside the dark, eerie scenery, framed by huge crooked trees lying in a deep mist, before she turned again and ran for the brightly illuminated door which brought her securely back inside the corridors of the TARDIS.

* * *

Just like that Rose was soon laughing out loud by the sheer wonders the TARDIS held for her as she stumbled from boundless devastated lands into crammed rooms, full of indescribable trinkets Rose couldn't even start to put names to, in nothing but mere seconds.

Finally, still bursting with laughter from her last encounter with an angry chugging steam engine that appeared to fabricate large amounts of really weird looking tiny hats, Rose paused at the sight of a strangely odd looking door, Rose had never stumbled upon before on her many explorations of the TARDIS.

The door was covered in a strange dark pattern, which reminded her of the beautiful circular ornaments shown on the TARDIS control screen and made it differ from the usually surface of the other doors.

Rose stopped in her movement, putting one loosened strain of hair behind her ear.

The sight of the door gave her an odd feeling. Almost as if the door, or more so the room the door protected, called out for her.

She could feel a slight shiver run down her spine. Part of her wanted to run. Turn around and run as fast as she could from this strange, different door.

She couldn't put her finger on the strange feeling, but somehow she could tell that whatever might be hidden behind that door, meant trouble.

* * *

Rose bit her lip. Well, she wasn't Rose Tyler, rescuer of million civilisations, protector of the galaxies, and companion of the Doctor, for now getting scared of a simple wooden door.

But even though she couldn't tell why, that strange dark door scared her in a way more than even a nasty Slitheen attack would.

Rose sighed. She could just pass the door. Of course she could. Move on like she'd seen nothing. Let her gaze just slip that odd frame.

But at least in one way she was right: She wasn't the Doctors companion for nothing. Her curiosity was insatiable. For all, it was what had brought her to this strange door in the first place.

With her heart pounding like drumbeats in her ears, Rose approached the door. The small golden doorknob felt like fire inside her dead cold hands. But Rose didn't flinch.

Instead she held her breath as she turned the small handle and pushed. The door uttered a little squeak, which sent shivers down Rose spine, but again she didn't stop.

By now it was more than mere curiosity which kept her going. It was like something inside the mysterious room was pulling her in.

Her feet started moving out of nothing, as if some invisible strings were dragging her inside.

She could feel her lungs burning from the lack of air as she peered inside the room, but she didn't care. Suddenly everything meant nothing.

* * *

The room was dark. Very dark, but not pitch black as she might have pictured it from the outside.

Actually, Rose could make out some faint strange silhouettes which she couldn't quite put her finger on. She frowned and took a courageous step further inside to get a clearer look.

But as soon as she took more than two paces into the room, the door immediately fall shut behind her.

Rose spun around at once, rushing back and trying to open the door again in panic, but it wouldn't shift.

With a small furious cry, she tried jogging the handle but the door wouldn't move an inch.

Rose could feel a sour taste on her tongue as realisation suck in: She was locked.

Locked inside a strange room, trapped inside the TARDIS. Somewhere so far within the ship probably even the Doctor didn't remember. Somewhere she never was supposed to go in the first place.

* * *

Rose could feel the panic creeping up her throat. "Doctor?" she tried calling out. "Doctor!"

No answer.

"Doctor, help! I'm lost" Rose cried, her voice bouncing off the walls of the empty room.

Still nothing.

"Doctor, please" she added this time rather silent, more for herself, before she finally fell shtum.

This was no use. The Doctor was hours away, locked in his room surrounded by a variety of fussing knick-knacks, where he probably wouldn't hear her screaming if she was standing right in front of him.

Rose frowned. This was so typical.

An entire Dalek fleet? No problem.

Nasty werewolf attack in Sixteenth Century Scotland? Not a challenge for the magnificent Dame Rose Tyler of Powell Estate.

Of course Rose would manage to get lost in the safest place in the universe: Lost inside the TARDIS.

* * *

With a little sigh Rose pushed herself of the wall and turned towards the room.

Suddenly, she could hear a small sobbing sounds from the opposite side of the room. Rose heart sank as she realised the obvious: She was not alone.

"Hello?" she tried out. "Who's there?"

She sobbing continued, but the sound was so small, Rose didn't wonder she hadn't heard it in her first look around.

She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins as she approached the black centre of the place, ready to fight whatever might be lurking in the dark.

But the sound stopped dead the instant Rose took more than two steps towards the room.

Rose frowned, trying to make out any potential danger in the darkness. Then finally, she spotted the small figure crouched down in one of the distant corners of the room:

It was a child.

* * *

"No please. Please, don't. I'm scared. Please don't hurt me" a thin voice called out, a little croaky from crying.

Rose heart sank. It was a child. A frightened child, all alone inside the darkness of this empty room.

"It's alright. I won't hurt you" she told the small boy, her own voice sounded a little shaken by the sudden rush of emotion.

She tried approaching the boy, but as soon as she took any step further towards him, he shied away from her.

Carefully she took a few quick steps, closing up the distance between them.

Rose crouched down beside him, keeping a safe distance to the desperate child. She couldn't quite make out his face in the dark, but he couldn't be much older than eight or nine.

* * *

"Hello, I'm Rose, what's your name?" she tried again to reach out to him. The boy didn't answer but instead curled up a little tighter on himself.

"I'm scared. Please. I'm alone. I'm so alone. I don't want to be alone" the child whimpered in a small voice over and over again.

Rose could feel her heart being ripped into a thousand tiny little pieces as she observed the shivering child.

"You are not alone. Not anymore. I won't let you be alone. Look, I promise. I'm here now. My name's Rose. Rose Tyler. I've got a friend called the Doctor. This ship 'ere, it belongs to him. I'm sure he can help you find your parents. Just tell me your name, ya?"

But the boy still didn't react to her, he kept on muttering to himself: "Empty. It's so empty inside. Why is there no one here? I don't want to be alone."

"Look, you don't 'ave to be alone. I'm with you." Rose stood up once more and tried to walk over to him. But as soon as she came near he just flinched away again.

But this time, Rose didn't stop. Instead, she reached over to him and stroke her hand gentle over his small, shaking shoulders. "It's alright. You don't have to be scared."

* * *

With once, the boys head shot up and met her eyes and it wasn't until then, that Rose caught a glimpse of his face, his wide dark eyes reddened and watery from tears.

Rose gave him a small, encouraging smile, running her fingers reassuringly above his smooth hair, as the room suddenly started spinning around her.

The image of the little boy started to crack and shutter and Rose could feel her heart tremble as realisation hit her from behind.

"Doctor?"

It wasn't as much of a question then it was a stunned statement of realisation.

Because Rose might not have recognised the small face, distorted in fear and hurt, or the small broken voice, from a man changing his appearance so many times over the centuries, but she did know the tremor that lay within the small broken boy in front of her.

Had always known it and would recognise it in all his shaken forms and shapes.

* * *

Rose could feel hot tears running down her cheeks as she realised whom she was talking to.

Who it was, that was locked up alone, frightened and all by himself, deep down in the most forgotten shoals of the TARDIS. With once the room started shattering around her.

Rose stood up in disbelieve as the walls started crumbling and spinning, distributing the darkness to reveal bright green light which finally left Rose standing inside the large, dimly lit console room of the TARDIS, right where Rose had started her tour this morning.

Rose blinked a little bewildered against the sudden light, as if she was just waking up from a very vibrant dream. She could hear a voice calling out for her.

* * *

"Rose? Rose! You won't believe what I found! I was just working on this trans-dimensional pocket distributer as I thought: 'Why not try to connect the dilingual power engine to the minima maxmeriser as I looked over and-"

The Doctor stopped his ramble mid-sentence as he walked into the control room and found Rose standing there alone, clinging onto the console.

"Are you all right?" He asked in bewilderment, as he spotted the tears on her cheeks.

Rose have him a small smile.

His dark brown eyes were widened with concern behind his specs, which hung slightly askew on his nose. He held a small strange device in one hand, and the quietly buzzing sonic screwdriver in the other.

"What happened?" He asked her again, his voice croaky with concern as Rose didn't react to his question.

But instead of giving him an answer, Rose suddenly pushed herself off the console, rushing over to him and throwing her arms around his neck, burying her face in his lapels of his suit as she felt new tears digging up their way to the surface.

The Doctor coughed a small laugh as he caught her, pulling her to the side to catch them both from ramming into the railings of the TARDIS.

"What was all that for?" he asked bemused, but stopped as he realised Rose wasn't pulling back.

* * *

Both stood together like that for a moment in silence, before Rose finally let go of him, moving back just an instant without losing her touch, just so she could look him in the eye.

His eyes still held a little worry about her strange behaviour, but he didn't dare to say a word and Rose could see the same emotions lying deep down buried within him, even if his eyes may be brown, warm and kind by now.

She brushed away one tear still hovering above her cheek with her right hand, before looking him directly in the eye:

"You don't ever have to be alone again Doctor. Maybe you don't realise it, but I'll always be right here waiting for you, ready to catch you and reach you a hand whenever you may need it. I'm _never_ gonna leave you. "


End file.
